The Cursed Doctor
by LKHanamura
Summary: Giving in to a Sohma Clan member Hatori agrees to see her friend as a doctor. But when her friend falls on him and he doesn't transform he is shocked! Seeing her regularly after that Hatori begins to fall in love with the beautiful Miyuki Rakujochigusa. However when she learns that his first interest in her was cause she didn't make him transform will she stay? Or turn away?
1. Chapter 1

With a sigh Miyuki slowly walked up the steps. "Why am I being brought here?"

Kotoko smiled behind her. "Because Hatori Sohma is a great doctor. No matter what the rest of my family might say. He will be able to get rid of that cough you keep hanging onto fast."

With her arms crossed Miyuki glared. They were in their second year of college and Kotoko still acted like she was in junior high. "Look I know that he is your family doctor and all but I don't see how this is going to help me."

With a glare on her face Kotoko turned with her arms crossed. "Look he is a doctor and he is a good one. The head of the Sohma's has been really bad sick for a long time. My dad took him to another doctor because Hatori was out of town for the weekend, and they said nothing was wrong with him. As soon as Hatori got back that Sunday night then the next day Akito was back to his self again. It couldn't hurt to let him take a look at you now could it?"

Her eyes narrowing. "Let's just get this over with." And as they started to walk through the buildings Miyuki looked over at her friend with a confused look. "Hey you said 'no matter what the rest of my family might say' when you were talking about this doctor. What did you mean?"

"Well some of my family say that he and others are cursed. I don't believe it."

With a sigh Miyuki dropped her head. "I should have known that it was something like that."

Stopping at a rather large building Kotoko pointed to it. "This is it. And that is his car so I know he is in today. Come on!" Then she grabbed Miyuki's hand and pulled her through the door. "Hatori? Where are you?"

"I am in here Kotoko."

Pulling her friend along with her she went into the office. "Hatori I know you only take patients that are Sohma's. But this is my friend Miyuki from college and she has a cough that just won't go away. I am worried about her. Could you please take a look at her?"

With annoyed sigh Hatori stopped writing. "This is going to be the last time Kotoko. You can't keep bringing people in off the street."

"I know! But she isn't just someone off the street she has been my best friend since we were in Junior High!"

"Come over here and sit in this chair."

Miyuki glared at Kotoko as she walked past her and sat down. Slipping her coat off. "I want to say also Doctor, that this was forced."

"I believe it was. However with Kotoko it is best to just go along with it by this stage." Then Hatori proceeded to do an exam on her. He did notice that there was something going on with her but couldn't quite figure it out. When he got to her bottom lungs he sighed as he sat back. "You have pneumonia. Walking pneumonia to be in fact. I will give you a shot of strong antibiotics here. I recommend lots of fluids and plenty of rest. It can sometimes take a few weeks to fully get over this condition."

"Thank you doctor."

Kotoko smiled as she leaned her head down next to Miyuki's. "See I told you that he would k now what was wrong with you. You are going to be back on your feet in no time."

Hatori glared at Kotoko. "It is going to be a couple more weeks at least before she is back on her feet."

"But you did figure out what was wrong with her. No one else could she has been to three different doctors and they all told her that it was in her head and sent her home with nothing."

"Still." Hatori gave the girl a shot in the arm then took a step back. "That will do it. I hope you recover fast. And Kotoko, no more."

"Yes sir."

Miyuki smiled a thank you to him as she stood up with her coat. "Thank you very much." But as she started to take a step she tripped over the chair leg and before she knew it she was falling into the doctor and both hit the ground with a thud. It took a second but then she rolled off of him and jumped to her feet with her hands behind her back. "I am so sorry!"

Hatori stood along with her, but his eyes were wide and in shock. She landed right on him. Just like Tohru had done that day a few years before. But he didn't transform! "Don't worry about it. You know, on second thought. Come back in one week so I can check and see how you sound."

Kotoko blinked. "But you said no more?"

"You are with her daily and often come back to visit. I don't need the whole Sohma family down with pneumonia."

Miyuki nodded. "Okay. Thank you again. Let's go Kotoko." Then she rushed out of the office with Kotoko behind her. "Oh man I hate that I am so damn clumsy!"

Kotoko giggled. "At least he broke your fall."

"I would have rather fell face first on the floor."

"You are so goofy!"

"Let's just get back to the dorm."

Hatori followed them all the way to the front gate with his eyes still wide as wide could be. He couldn't believe that he didn't transform when she fell on him!

"Hari?"

Turning to see Shigure and Yuki walking toward him he turned his wide eyes back to them. "Where is Tohru?"

Blinking Shigure cocked his head to the side. "She is at home with Kyo and Kisa I believe. We are looking after her while her mother goes for a trip to our hot spring to get a break."

"I will drive you there is something that I need to see."

"What are you talking about?"

Hatori was back in moments with the car and Shigure and Yuki in it. As he speed off he went in the opposite direction stopping a full block behind Kotoko and her friend. "See that girl with Kotoko?"

Shigure nodded. "I do."

"I did not think to ask her name, however Kotoko brought her in to see me like she has other friends throughout the years. She has walking pneumonia so I treated her. I don't need the entire estate coming down with it when Kotoko comes to visit. However something happened as they were getting ready to leave that shouldn't have."

"What was that?"

"She fell on me?"

Both Shigure and Yuki gasped. Shigure sighed. "Are you going to erase her memory of your transformation? You better do it with Kotoko as well."

"I don't have to do that."

"What do you mean? She landed on you."

"But I didn't transform when she did."


	2. Chapter 2

Standing at the stove Tohru worked on getting dinner ready and on the table before Shigure and Yuki got home from going to see Akito. She knew that he would be in a bad mood and wanted to have something he liked to eat ready for him when he got home.

"You know you don't have to do all that right?"

Hearing Kyo's voice behind her she turned a bright smile up into his red eyes. "I know. But I would do the same thing for you if you went to go see Akito too."

Smiling as he leaned down and kissed her forehead Kyo couldn't help but laugh. "They are going to have heart failure when school is out for this year."

"Why?"

"When we get our own place?"

With a smile she turned back to the stove. "I know. But I will still come back and check on them once in a while."

"Tohru where are you?"

Smiling at hearing his voice Tohru laughed. "I am in the kitchen Shigure. Did everything….." Then she topped and her eyes went wide when she felt someone much taller than Kyo come up behind her and wrap their arms around her. Looking up she saw the pale green eyes of Hatori before there was a puff of smoke and she screamed.

Already picking the seahorse up Shigure rushed pass a glaring Kyo. "We had a reason for what he just did and as soon as he is back to himself he will explain it."

Tohru was blinking as she looked back to Yuki. "Yuki?"

"He wanted to see if he would transform if he hugged you. He said something about a cousin's of ours bringing a friend in to see him, and she fell on him but he didn't transform when she did."

Kyo glared as he crossed his arms. "That is a load of bullshit."

Tohru sighed as she went back to cooking. "Lets all just wait until Hatori gets back to normal and let him tell us exactly what happened."

X

Hatori once again found himself sitting in a bathtub full of water. Having just transformed back to his human form. His eyes still wide from what happened. He thought that maybe it was just a fluke but something told him it was much more than that.

As he sat there thinking he realized that other than facts that had been handed down through the years and generations of Zodiac members he, nor anyone else knew anything other then they were cursed and what made them transform. And that the Head of the Sohma Family, always bore the brunt of the curse. Dying at a very young age often.

His eyes set he knew what he had to do. He had to find out the girls name. Then he was going to confront Akito. He was going to find out all of the details of the curse, and if there truly was a way to break it. And he would have to tell Kotoko and her friend about the curse and prove it to them. So that he could warn them to stay away from Akito.

X

Looking up when Hatori walked in the room Tohru was wide eyed. "Are you alright Hatori? I made you a place to eat."

Taking his seat Hatori nodded a thank you to her. "There is something you all should know."

Kyo glared. "That a girl fell on you and you didn't transform? My ass! Didn't happen!"

"It did Kyo. I do not remember her name but she is a friend of Kotoko. She will be coming back at my office in one week while she is there I am going to see if it is just a fluke or not."

Yuki arched his eyebrow at him. "What are you going to do listen to her lungs then reach out and hug her and tell her about the curse?"

"No. I am going to use Momiji. I have a theory I want to test. And seeing as it is me testing the theory if it does not go as I wish I can fix the problem."

Blinking as she looked up at him Tohru cocked her head to the side. "What is it that you are going to do Hatori?"

With a small smile Hatori closed his eyes. "I want to see if she will transform when Momiji hugs her. He is always hugging everyone and wouldn't miss the chance to hug someone in front of me knowing he wouldn't get in trouble for it."

"I understand that but….."

More serious now Hatori sighed. "If he doesn't transform, then I know it is going to be more than a fluke. And that would also mean that every Head of the Sohma family, even my own father, has lied to us about what they know about the curse."

Also more serious than usual Shigure crossed his arms. "How are you going to get Akito to talk? Yuki and I were there seeing him today and he seemed in a particularly foul mood. Since everything happened with Kyo and Tohru, it seems he flies off the handle more and more."

"If I have to I will force him to tell me or show me what he knows about it." Hatori's eyes narrowed as in his mind he saw a flash of himself and Kana. Happy, together and loving life. "I want to know what is going on with this curse. From everything that has been told we have been told that our family has lived with this for generations. And there is no known way to break the curse. We had to find out on our own that two cursed members of opposite sex could hug and it not do anything to them. But if she doesn't make Momiji transform that will prove that something else is going on and I want to know what it is."

Shigure smiled as he started eating. "Well for now lets just eat. Tohru's cooking is the best in the world. I don't know what I am ever going to do without it."

Kyo smiled smugly as he looked over at him. "If you use your head you would know that in a few months Tohru and I will be graduated and getting our own place."

Gasping Shigure looked over at them. "Wait you were serious about it?"

Tohru nodded. "We are. Shigure I am going to be taking college classes in the city and it only make sense that we live closer to the campus. And work."

Hatori sighs as he takes a bite then glares at Shigure. "Don't even start acting like a child."


	3. Chapter 3

The week had flown by and Hatori sat in his office as he waited for Kotoko to bring Miyuki back so he could 'check her lungs' and make sure she was getting over her illness. He gave a glance to Momiji who sat on the porch just outside his doors. "What is it Momiji?"

"I get why you want me to hug her and I will. But what I don't understand is how you are going to explain things to her if I don't."

With a sigh he closed his eyes as he dropped his head. "I don't know. First I would have to figure out a way to show both her and Kotoko about the curse."

"Why Kotoko?"

"They are friends. Tohru was more open minded about things because of the way she had been raised by her mother."

Laughing Momiji turned and smiled up at him. "Yeah. After all her mother was really high in the Yankees and her father was a rebel on his own. She wasn't exactly raised being told curses and stuff don't exist huh."

"That is my point. Miyuki may need a friend to help her through it."

Thinking for a moment Momiji jumped up and giggled. "I know! Instead of showing Kotoko too, since come on Hari she can't keep her mouth shut. Why don't we set it up so that Tohru meets her and becomes friends with her? Tohru has a way of helping people with what she says and not even realizing it."

Thinking for a second as he blinked at Momiji Hatori smiled. "That is a good idea. We will have to figure out what she does and have Tohru in the right spots at the right times."

"Hatori! We are here!"

"In here Kotoko."

Miyuki glared at the back of Kotoko's head as she was pulled into the office. The last time that she was there was the most embarrassing moment of her life. She had just been admiring how good looking he was and then fell flat out on him. 'Damn her for forcing me to come back.'

Smiling back at her glaring friend Kotoko put her hands behind her back and giggled. "She didn't want to come Hatori but I made her. I told her that she will never see another doctor better than you."

"That is exaggerated I am sure. Please have a seat."

Momiji saw this as his clue and smiled as he came up to stand next to Hatori. "Don't worry. Hari will be easy with you."

Looking over at the blond haired boy Miyuki smiled. "It isn't that, it is just that with the shot he gave me a week ago I feel fine." Then she glared over at Kotoko. "But I was forced to come that time and this time."

With a bright smile Momiji put his hands behind his back. "I see. Kotoko can be like that sometimes. How do you know her?"

"We go to Tokyo University together. We are both second years."

Laughing a little Momiji pointed to himself. "I am going to go there in a couple of years. I am in my third year of high school."

Blinking Miyuki jerked her head over to him. At best she would have thought that he was in Junior High! "Wait really?"

Nodding his head Momiji smiled. "And my cousin Kyo, his girlfriend Tohru is going to be going there next year. I bet the two of you would be great friends."

Smiling Miyuki nodded. "I am always willing to make a new friend."

"Your lungs are perfectly clear now. It seems as though the shot did it all on its own."

Turning back to Hatori she smiled as a light blush flew to her face. "Thank you." Then she stood up and stopped when she felt someone grab her hand. She looked down into Momiji's big eyes with blinking ones of her own. "Momiji?"

"You said you are always willing to make a new friend. Can we be friends too? I promise I am really older than I look. Right Kotoko?"

Turning her eyes to her best friend as she laughed Miyuki glared. "Kotoko?"

"He is the age he says he is. He just somehow stayed so small and cute!"

Smiling back down at him Miyuki nodded. "Then of course we can be friends."

Taking this as his chance to do as Hatori asked him Momiji lunged and wrapped his arms around Miyuki's waist and smiled then let his eyes go wide. He wasn't transforming! 'Hari was right! This is not just a fluke!' Then he let go of her and held her hand. "I am happy about that! I love making new friends too!"

Hatori then gasped but before he could say anything Kotoko wrapped her arms around Momiji as well! But then starred with a dumbfounded look on his face Momiji didn't transform again! He was still holding Miyuki's hand when Kotoko hugged him.

Straightening his face he cleared his throat. "I am glad that you are feeling better. Now if the two of you don't mind, I need to go and see Yuki. It is time for his monthly check up."

Letting go of Momiji at the same time Kotoko smiled. "Alright. Thank you again Hatori."

Smiling as once again the blush was on her face Miyuki looked up at him. "Thank you." Then she followed Kotoko as they left. Once completely out of the complex she let out a sigh and then glared over at Kotoko. "You know I should kill you."

Smirking Kotoko looked at her friend with blinking eyes. "Why? Because you think my doctor cousin is hot and you didn't want to embarrass yourself again by falling on him again?"

Reaching over and pushing her friend Miyuki couldn't help but smile. "You know how I get. Especially if I think they know what I think about them. I get all shy and can't hardly say a single word."

Nodding Kotoko laughed. "I know. But look at it this way, if you don't get sick again, you won't have to go see him ever again."

"That is a plus."

X

Momiji climbed in the car with Hatori as he still held a shocked look on his face. "Hatori why didn't I transform?"

"It has to be something about Miyuki. Now to test another theory that I have."

"What is that?"

His eyes narrowing he headed for the other side of the city. Where he has taken Tohru to get her friend Hana before. "Saki Hanajima."

"What about Hana?"

"Her ability to sense what she calls electric waves. She knew something was off about us just by a feeling. Not at all as shocked as Arisa Uotani was when they found out. I want to know what she thinks about Miyuki."

"I see."

X

Glaring from his round window Akito had taken in everything that had happened. He had been on his way to see Hatori when he saw what happened with Kotoko's friend and Momiji. Even just touching her he didn't transform when Kotoko hugged him. 'That can only mean one thing. They are figuring it out. It doesn't matter. So long as I draw breath they can't break the curse anyway! I will not let them lift the curse between my death and the birth of the next Jade Emperor! It won't happen!'


	4. Chapter 4

Miyuki smiled as she walked out of the dorm where she stayed with Kotoko. But she stopped when standing there at the bottom of the stairs was someone who wasn't happy. She saw the glare he had for her and it scared her. 'Who is that?'

"I promise if you just come with us so he can talk to you then you will not be harmed."

Jerking her head up and to the left she looked up into the redish brown eyes of someone else. He had a gentleness in his eyes but the other one didn't. "If I say no?"

Walking toward the car Akito glared harder. "You can't say no. If you do, then you will never see Kotoko again. As head of the Sohma Family I can do that. And it won't be pretty either."

Gulping she took shaky steps as she walked to the limo. She watched as the head of the family got in then she got in. But before the other man could get in the limo speed off. She started to reach for the handle with every intention of jumping from the car but instead let out a scream when she felt someone grabbing her hair. "What the hell do you want from me!"

"To teach you a lesson."

"For what?"

Flinging her to the floor then sitting on her thighs he smiled. "For butting your nose in where it don't belong. You stay away from ALL Sohma's. Including Kotoko. You won't lift the curse from them. They can't be free of it until between Jade Emperors! I won't die just so they can be free! I will kill you before that happens!"

Her eyes frantic as she met his own sadistic ones. "Please just let me go. I swear I will stay away please don't do this."

Slapping her hard across the face Akito glared. "You will be taught what happens when you meddle with curses you bitch!"

X

With not only Hana in the car, but Uo and Tohru as well Akito headed down the street where he figured Kotoko would be walking with Miyuki toward the dorm. "Saki I just want to know if you detect anything strange coming from her like you did with us Sohma's."

"Yes."

Tohru smiled. She might be the key to lifting the curse for all the Sohma's. She wanted to have children the natural way with Kyo. She wanted to be able to watch him hug a daughter if they had one and not transform into a cat. She wanted Yuki to be able to embrace his love and all of them. 'I hope I am right.'

But Hatori glared instead when he watched Akito's limo pull up in front of the dorm and the car door open. "What is he doing here?"

Momiji gasped when Miyuki was rolled out of the car before someone else got in and it drove off. "Hari! Look that is Miyuki!"

Already half out of the car Hatori ran to her and dropped to his knees. "She has been beaten badly."

"Is she still alive?"

"I don't know Momiji." He felt her neck and then sighed. "It is slight but it is there. Damn him!" Hatori then lifted her into his arms and put her in the car, her legs draped over Momiji and her head in his lap. "We are all going to Shigure's house right now."

Tohru looked over the seat at the girl. It looked like someone had put her through a kickboxing ring. She had black eyes, swollen places on her face, black and blue marks all over her body. "The poor girl who could have done that?"

His eyes narrowing as he speed through the city headed toward Shigure's. "Akito. He must have seen what happened yesterday when Momiji didn't transform. Even just holding Miyuki's hand when Kotoko hugged him he did not transform. All I can figure is that Akito saw that and didn't like it. But why?"

Sitting back Tohru sighed. "Do you think that maybe she might have something to do with lifting the curse? I have been thinking about that since that day you first told us at home. It could be that Akito knows more than he is telling everyone about how to lift the curse."

Nodding Hatori gripped the steering wheel even tighter. "And I intend to find out exactly what is going on as soon as I figure out how to save her life when we get to Shigure's. Momiji as soon as we get there I will carry her in and I want you to get my bag out of the trunk. Tohru if you and your friends wouldn't mind, I will need some towels and plenty of hot water."

Once they arrived, Kyo, Yuki and Shigure all gaped and went wide eyed as Hatori carried a girl inside the house and right past them. One that was injured but wasn't a zodiac! Kyo looked up at Tohru as she stood next to him. "So the bastard was telling the truth huh?"

"Yeah."

Shigure stood and headed after Hatori and Momiji. "How as she hurt?"

Arisa crossed her arms. "He said that Akito would have done it, since it was Akito's limo that she was rolled out of."

Yuki gasped then glared. "I knew he was cruel to those of us in the zodiac but to her?"

"But if Tohru is right, she might be a key in breaking the curse and he don't want it broke."

Sitting down next to Kyo Tohru sighed. "But I would think that he would want to break it since if it is broke he will get to live longer."

"Who knows with that bastard."

Tohru sighed then got up and fled up the stairs. "I have to see if there is anything that I can do to help her."

X

Miyuki slowly opened her eyes. Though with how swollen they were it hurt and she could only open them about half way. She let out a groan as she felt the pain spread over her body. "Where am I?"

Hearing her voice Tohru jumped up and smiled down at her. "Hi. My name is Tohru Honda and you are in Shigure Sohma's house where I live too. How are you?"

Tears filling her eyes and streaming down her face, burning the marks on her face she shook her head no. "I can't be here. I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because he told me he would hurt her if I had anything to do with the Sohma's. He told me he would hurt Kotoko. I have to go." But then she felt gentle hands holding her down. "Please!"

Not letting her up Tohru felt her own tears mist. "We all talked about it and it is time that the rest of the family knows what Akito is hiding from them. Kotoko included. In fact Hatori called and said he was on his way here with the rest of the members of the Zodiac."

"Zodiac?"

"We will show you later. Right now just relax and rest. Kotoko will be at your side soon. I promise."

Turning her head away from the girl Miyuki let more silent tears fall. "I have to leave."

"You have to heal some. You got broken ribs, a broken foot, fractures all over the place. Did he say why he did this to you?"

Closing her eyes Miyuki let out a sob. "Something about I won't break the curse. He won't die so they can be free."


	5. Chapter 5

Rushing through the door and up the stairs Kotoko had worry clear on her face. She never would have thought that Akito could have done something to someone that wasn't a Sohma. She had seen what he did to certain members but for the most part he never cared what happened to her or her family. It was like some were more special than others were to him. She didn't understand it but didn't really care. But to hear that he had done something so cruel to someone as sweet as Miyuki she couldn't understand it. As she reached the top of the stairs she saw Tohru walking out of a room. "IS she in there?"

Tohru nodded but then stopped her from going in. "Kotoko what did Hatori tell you?"

"Just that Akito hurt her. Please I have to see her."

With a sigh Tohru took her hand and lead her down the hall again. "First you need to understand why. She was hurt badly. Broken bones, swollen, bruises. But to Akito he had a reason behind it, and first you have to understand the reason so you can stay fully away from him."

"Reason? What reason could justify hurting someone who never done anything to him like that?!"

"A selfish one." Then Tohru lead the now sniffling girl into the dining room where everyone was there. Every single member of the Zodiac. Kyo, Yuki, Shigure, Ayame, Kagura, Momiji, Hiro, Kisa, Ritsu, Haru, Rin and Hatori. She smiled as she looked up at Kotoko. "You know them all right?"

"Yes we are all from the same Family."

Nodding as Uo and Hana walked in from the other room Tohru giggled. "These are my friends Saki Hanajima but I just call her Hana and Arisa Uotani. I call her Uo."

"The reason. I want to get up to Miyuki."

With a sigh she watched as all the guys stood in a row as she walked up and started with Shigure. "Some members of the Sohma family are cursed. They change into an animal of the Chinese Zodiac when they are hugged by an opposite sex or get too stressed."

"Come on…." Kotoko started to argue but then when Tohru hugged Shigure he turned into a dog! Then Haru a cow, Ritsu a monkey, Yuki a rat, Momiji a rabbit, Hiro a ram, and Ayame a snake. "Whoa…."

Smiling as she hugged Kyo last and turned him into a cat that she held Tohru smiled as she turned toward her. "Rin turns into a horse, Kisa a tiger, and Kagura a boar. This is the curse of the Sohma."

Falling down to her rear Kotoko could only stare. "Oh man."

Sitting Kyo down Tohru then took Kotoko's hand and helped her up. "We better head into the kitchen."

"Why?"

"Cause when they change back, they are all naked."

X

Once everyone was changed back and dressed, Kotoko found herself sitting in a corner with her arms hugging her knees to her chest. "So I have a question." Then she looked right at Hatori. "Do you?"

"Yes. I was born under the year of the dragon but I transform into a sea horse instead."

"Then why didn't Momiji transform when he hugged Miyuki or when I hugged him?"

This time it was Kagura who spoke up. She stood and walked over Yuki and hugged him but neither of them transformed. "That is because two Zodiac members can hug and not transform. We guess it is cause we are cursed. The fact that he didn't with Miyuki was a mystery."

"He didn't when I hugged him the other day either."

Momiji smiled as he moved to sit next to her. Then without warning he hugged her and transformed again in a puff of smoke back into a bunny that jumped into her lap. "It was because I was holding Miyuki's hand when you hugged me that day. There is something about her that doesn't make us transform and that could help us break the curse we think. We think that Akito thinks the same thing and that is why he was trying to scare her away."

Jumping up and letting Momiji hit the floor Kotoko rushed for the steps and then straight to Miyuki's room and then gasped when she saw her friend laying on the bed in such a state. "Oh Miyuki!" Then she rushed to the bed and fell to her knees as tears streamed out of her eyes. "I am so sorry. Had I only known I wouldn't have forced you to go to Hatori for your cold."

"Kotoko."

Still crying as she looked at her sleeping best friend Kotoko held her hand. "If I hadn't of forced her to come to you then nothing would have ever been known. And she wouldn't be laying here like this. She is going to be alright isn't she Hatori?"

Standing next to her Hatori sighed as he also looked at a face that two days ago was so beautiful it nearly made his skip. But now was a swollen mess. "I promise Kotoko. I will make sure that she is just fine. But for now, I think it is best that the two of you stay here with the rest of us. We will be better able to protect you from Akito."

"Do you really think that he would try to kill her? Or hurt me?"

"I never thought he would have done this to a complete stranger Kotoko. I refuse to take any chances at all when it comes to letting the two of you or the younger zodiac get hurt."

Dropping her head to the bed Kotoko chocked back a sob. "Thank you Hatori. Thank you so much for saving her."

"Don't worry about it."

X

"Why Akito!? Why did you do that to her? You told me that you just wanted to talk to her and reason with her. Not nearly kill her!"

Akito's eyes flashed in anger as they met with Kureno's. "Because I refuse to die for her to help lift the curse on them!"

His voice rising in anger Kureno didn't budge. "How do you know that she knew anything at all about the curse anyway!"

Turning with cold eyes Akito threw a vase at his head. "Don't give me that! Just because you were lucky enough to get the curse lifted between Emperors doesn't mean a damn thing! If they figure out a way for the curse to be lifted then I will be the one that pays the price! The day they get it lifted is the day that I die and I refuse to die for them when they hate me and wouldn't do it for me!"

Kureno was by nature more forgiving than most. He wanted to always see Akito smile seeing as he and Shigure were the only two that actually knew the truth. But this was too much even for him. His eyes narrowing he turned to leave. "Maybe if you treated them as though they are people and not your personal play things it would have been different."

"Where are you going!?"

Turning with a glare right before he slammed the door shut Kureno sighed. "I am going to make things right. Had I known what you wanted to do to her I would have never told her to get in the limo with you."


End file.
